CONNOR'S PICKS

For a preview of this week's prep football games, see CDN's weekly football forecast.

Girls soccer: Sehome at Lynden
4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5, Bender Fields

Each of these teams was among the top eight in Class 2A a year ago, with Lynden reaching the state quarterfinals for the first time in program history and Sehome reaching its first state title game since 2018.

Lynden lost a handful of seniors key to its historic run, but the team has 15 underclassmen from last season's roster returning. Sehome, on the other hand, lost just two seniors following its 1-0 loss to Columbia River in the 2A state championship.

This matchup's burning question: Can Lynden reload and continue to compete for a spot in the 2A state tournament this year? Sehome surely can. We will find out when the teams open their seasons against one another on Tuesday.

Sehome’s Kaari Little tries to score Sept. 6, 2022, in the first half of a game against Lynden. (Andy Bronson/Cascadia Daily News)  

WWU: Women's soccer vs. Cal State Los Angeles
12 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, Harrington Field

The reigning NCAA Division II national champions' home opener. Need I say more?

No. 1 nationally-ranked Western Washington University women's soccer retained 22 players from last year's title-winning squad, eight of whom were freshmen last season. Among those now-sophomores is Morgan Manalili, the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year in 2022. Claire Henninger, Western's mainstay in the net, is back for her sixth season with the Vikings. 

The Vikings' opponent, No. 24 Cal State Los Angeles, also reached the national tournament last season, finishing 11-4-6 overall. This is a must-attend contest for soccer fans in Whatcom County.

In a very physical game, Western Washington University’s Claire Potter gets pulled down by her jersey Oct. 29, 2022, by Saint Martin’s Salma Perez in the second half of a game. (Andy Bronson/Cascadia Daily News)  

Recreation: Run with the Chums 5K
8:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, BP Highlands (Birch Bay)

The 11th annual Run with the Chums 5K returns to the BP Highlands as a part of Whatcom Water Week.

Last year's event had more than 300 participants, and the event is held "in celebration of healthy water, healthy habitat and healthy people," according to its website.

In addition to the 5K fun run, there is the Smolt Spring Obstacle Course for kids, which features various obstacles meant to "simulate the challenges smolt salmon face as they travel downstream to the ocean."

FULL CALENDAR

Friday, Sept. 1

Football

Nooksack Valley at Mountain View, 4:30 p.m., McKenzie Stadium

Lynden Christian at Lakeside (9 Mile Falls), 7 p.m.

Granite Falls at Meridian, 7 p.m.

Sehome at Mount Baker, 7 p.m.

Port Angeles at Blaine, 7 p.m.

Ferndale at Lynden, 7 p.m.

New Westminster (British Columbia) at Squalicum, 7 p.m., Civic Stadium

WWU

Volleyball at Cal State LA, 5 p.m., Coussoulis Arena

WCC

Volleyball vs. Columbia Bible College (preseason), 7 p.m., WCC Pavilion

MLB

Seattle Mariners at New York Mets, 4:10 p.m., Apple TV

Recreation

Chuckanut Coastal Paddleboard Tour, 12 p.m., Larrabee State Park

LQBTQ+ Stand-up Paddleboard Session, 5:30 p.m., Community Boating Center

Saturday, Sept. 2

Football

Chief Sealth at Bellingham, 1 p.m., Civic Stadium

WWU

Cross country at Puget Sound Invitational, 11 a.m., Fort Steilacoom Park

Volleyball at MSU Denver, 2:30 p.m., Coussoulis Arena

Men's soccer at Chico State, 7 p.m., University Soccer Stadium

WCC

Men's soccer vs. Evergreen State College (preseason), 6:30 p.m., Orca Field

WNBA

Seattle Storm at Las Vegas Aces, 6 p.m., Fox/Amazon Prime Video

MLS

Seattle Sounders vs. Portland Timbers, 7:30 p.m., Apple TV

MLB

Seattle Mariners at New York Mets, 4:10 p.m., Root Sports

Recreation

PITCH Regatta, 10 a.m., Bellingham Yacht Club

Kayak the Cove Tour, 10 a.m., Larrabee State Park

Chuckanut Coastal Paddleboard Tour, 12 p.m., Larrabee State Park

Sunday, Sept. 3

NWSL

OL Reign vs. Orlando Pride, 3 p.m., Paramount+

MLB

Seattle Mariners at New York Mets, 10:40 a.m., Root Sports

Recreation

PITCH Regatta, 10 a.m., Bellingham Yacht Club

Chuckanut Coastal Paddleboard Tour, 12 p.m., Larrabee State Park

Ride the Teal Wave, 12:30 p.m., Community Boating Center

Monday, Sept. 4

WWU

Women's soccer at Concordia, 1 p.m., Eagles Field

MLB

Seattle Mariners at Cincinnati Reds, 1:10 p.m., Root Sports

Recreation

Kayak the Cove Tour, 10 a.m., Larrabee State Park

Tuesday, Sept. 5

Volleyball

Meridian at La Conner, 6 p.m.

Boys tennis

Sehome at Lynden, 4 p.m., Lynden Middle School

Girls soccer

Bellingham at Lynden Christian, 4:30 p.m.

Sehome at Lynden, 4:30 p.m., Bender Fields

Bear Creek at Meridian, 5 p.m.

Shorecrest at Squalicum, 6 p.m.

MLB

Seattle Mariners at Cincinnati Reds, 3:40 p.m., Root Sports

Wednesday, Sept. 6

Volleyball

Nooksack Valley at Mount Vernon, 7 p.m.

Blaine at Anacortes, 7 p.m.

Lynden at Sehome, 7 p.m.

Mount Baker at Bellingham, 7 p.m.

La Conner at Lynden Christian, 7 p.m.

Boys tennis

Squalicum at Ferndale, 4 p.m.

Bellingham at Oak Harbor, 4 p.m.

Lakewood at Sehome, 4:30 p.m.

WCC

Women's soccer vs. Bellevue College, 5 p.m., Orca Field

Men's soccer vs. Bellevue College, 7 p.m., Orca Field

WNBA

Seattle Storm at Atlanta Dream, 4 p.m., Fox/Amazon Prime Video

NWSL

OL Reign vs. Racing Louisville FC, 7 p.m., CBS Sports

MLS

Seattle Sounders at Austin FC, 5:30 p.m., Apple TV

MLB

Seattle Mariners at Cincinnati Reds, 3:40 p.m., Root Sports

Thursday, Sept. 7

Football

Blaine at Sehome, 7 p.m., Civic Stadium

Volleyball

Lakewood at Squalicum, 7 p.m.

Oak Harbor at Meridian, 7 p.m.

Ferndale at Lynden Christian, 7 p.m.

Mount Baker at Sultan, 7 p.m.

Girls soccer

Anacortes at Lynden Christian, 4:30 p.m.

Burlington-Edison at Sehome, 4:30 p.m.

Squalicum at Ferndale, 7 p.m.

Lynden at Bellingham, 7 p.m.

Nooksack Valley at Sedro-Woolley, 7:30 p.m.

Girls swim

Bellingham at Anacortes, 2:55 p.m., Fidalgo Pool

Lynden at Ferndale, 3:30 p.m., Forge Pool

Oak Harbor at Sehome, 3:30 p.m., Arne Hanna Aquatic Center

WWU

Men's soccer at Concordia, 6:30 p.m., Eagles Field

MLB

Seattle Mariners at Tampa Bay Rays, 3:40 p.m., Root Sports

Recreation

Kayak the Cove Tour, 10 a.m., Larrabee State Park

Chuckanut Coastal Paddleboard Tour, 12 p.m., Larrabee State Park

Friday, Sept. 8

Football

Mount Baker at Wenatchee, 4 p.m., Apple Bowl

Meadowdale at Bellingham, 5 p.m., Civic Stadium

Seaquam (British Columbia) at Squalicum, 7 p.m., Civic Stadium

W.F. West at Lynden, 7 p.m.

Meridian at Chelan, 7 p.m., Sargeant Field

Lynden Christian at Archbishop Murphy, 7 p.m.

Connell at Nooksack Valley, 7 p.m.

Ferndale at Oak Harbor, 7 p.m.

Girls soccer

Friday Harbor at Meridian, 6 p.m.

WWU

Volleyball at Ferris State, 9 a.m., Auraria Event Center (Colorado)

Volleyball at Concordia-St. Paul, 1 p.m., Auraria Event Center (Colorado) 

WNBA

Seattle Storm at Dallas Wings, 5 p.m., Ion

MLB

Seattle Mariners at Tampa Bay Rays, 3:40 p.m., Root Sports

Recreation

Chuckanut Coastal Paddleboard Tour, 12 p.m., Larrabee State Park

LQBTQ+ Stand-up Paddleboard Session, 5:30 p.m., Community Boating Center

Saturday, Sept. 9

Football

Cleveland at Bellingham, 1 p.m., Civic Stadium

Volleyball

Gulls Nest Varsity Volleyball Tournament: Sehome, Ferndale at Everett, 8 a.m.

Girls soccer

Granite Falls at Nooksack Valley, 12 p.m., Nooksack Valley Elementary

Lynden Christian at Cedar Park Christian, 12 p.m.

Bellingham at Squalicum, 1 p.m.

Cross country

Sehome XC Invite: Bellingham, Blaine, Ferndale, Lynden, Lynden Christian, Meridian, Mount Baker, Nooksack Valley, Squalicum at Sehome, 10 a.m., Civic Field

WWU

Volleyball at TBD (pool play), time TBD, Auraria Event Center (Colorado)

Women's soccer vs. Cal State Los Angeles, 12 p.m., Harrington Field

Men's soccer at Point Loma, 1 p.m., PLNU Soccer Field

WCC

Women's soccer vs. Peninsula College, 12 p.m., Orca Field

Men's soccer vs. Peninsula College, 12 p.m., Orca Field

MLS

Seattle Mariners at Tampa Bay Rays, 1:05 p.m., Root Sports

MLB

Seattle Mariners at New York Mets, 4:10 p.m., Root Sports

Recreation

Run with the Chums, 8:30 a.m., BP Highlands

Kayak the Cove Tour, 10 a.m., Larrabee State Park

Chuckanut Coastal Paddleboard Tour, 12 p.m., Larrabee State Park

Sunday, Sept. 10

WNBA

Seattle Storm vs. Los Angeles Sparks, 12 p.m., Fox/Amazon Prime Video

NFL

Seattle Seahawks vs. Los Angeles Rams, 1:25 p.m., Fox

MLB

Seattle Mariners at Tampa Bay Rays, 10:10 a.m., Root Sports

Recreation

Bellingham Bay Paddle and Scavenger Hunt, 10 a.m., Community Boating Center

Chuckanut Coastal Paddleboard Tour, 12 p.m., Larrabee State Park

CDN's sports calendar is published online each Thursday and in print on Fridays. To submit an event for consideration, email connorbenintendi@cascadiadaily.com.